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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
House: FMAE DPA 5-2-0-0 | Third Read 56-0-4-0-0Senate: Third Read 27-1-2-0 Chapter: 1 |
HB 2022: elections; July primary; curing; observers
Sponsor: Representative Kolodin, LD 3
Signed by the Governor
Overview
An emergency measure that changes the primary election date to the second-to-last Tuesday in July. Amends ballot signature curing deadlines. Allows nomination and local initiative petition forms circulated with the former August primary election date to remain valid for the new primary election date.
History
Currently, political subdivisions in Arizona that conduct both a primary election and a general election may only hold candidate elections during even-numbered years and on the following dates:
1) beginning in 2020 and later, the first Tuesday in August for the primary election; and
2) the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November for the general election.
Political subdivisions that conduct only a single candidate election may hold that election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Special and recall elections may be held on these same dates and, in addition, on the second Tuesday in March and the third Tuesday in May of an even-numbered year. As currently enacted, the next primary election for many political subdivisions is scheduled for August 4, 2026 (A.R.S. § 16-204).
The county chairman of each political party may designate, for each precinct, party representatives and alternates to observe and act as challengers only at polling places located within the precinct (A.R.S. § 16-590).
Provisions
1. Adjusts the ballot signature curing deadline to within seven calendar days after the election for general elections that include a federal office. (Sec. 1)
2. Adjusts the ballot signature curing deadline to within five calendar days after any election other than a general election that includes a federal office. (Sec. 1)
3. Changes the day on which primary elections are required to be held from the first Tuesday in August to the second-to-last Tuesday in July. (Sec. 2, 3, 4)
4. Allows the county chairman of each party, for each ballot replacement location, to designate by written appointment a party representative and alternates to serve as observers. (Sec. 5)
5. Specifies that such a party representative must be a resident of Arizona and registered to vote in Arizona. (Sec. 5)
6. Broadens the types of voting locations for which a county chairman may designate either a party agent or a party representative, together with the alternates for that designee, to act as challengers. (Sec. 6)
7. Allows, as session law, signatures collected on a nomination petition or a municipal or county initiative petition, including electronic petition signatures, with the former primary election date to be lawfully submitted for the primary election to be held on July 21, 2026 (Sec. 7)
8. States, as session law, that submitted signatures for a nomination petition or a municipal or county initiative petition, including electronic petition signatures, collected with the former primary election date are deemed to be as valid as signatures collected with the newly designated primary election date and are prohibited from being ruled invalid solely due to the changed primary election date.
9. Prohibits, as session law, a filing officer from rejecting nomination papers, petitions or signatures based solely on the date of the primary election and specifies that the prohibition applies to the online signature collection system provided by the Secretary of State. (Sec. 7)
10. States, as session law, that a person does not need to file a new or amended statement of interest based solely on the change in the 2026 primary election date. (Sec. 7)
11. Requires, as session law, that any election item that was duly called by a city, town or county for the August 4, 2026, primary election date must be placed on the ballot for the newly designated primary election date of July 21, 2026. (Sec. 8)
12. Contains a legislative intent clause. (Sec. 9)
13. Contains an emergency clause. (Sec. 10)
14. Makes technical and conforming changes (Sec. 6)
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18. Initials GG HB 2022
19. 2/6/2026 Page 0 Signed by the Governor
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